Vibrator for screens and other apparatus



March 14, 1933.A s. D. RoBlNs 1,901,122 v VIBRATOR FOR SICREENS AND OTHER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 6, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet l NMA IUfTEZ-(IHU March 14, 1933. s D, ROBlNS 1,901,122

VIBRA'IOR FOR SCREENS AND OTHER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 6, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 14, 1933.- S 1;)t ROBlNS 1,901,122

VIBRATOR FOR SCREENS AND OTHER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 6, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2% www Patented Mar. 14,v 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL DAVIS ROBINS, F HEWLETT, NEW YORK, ASSICNOR T0 ROBINS CONVEYING BELT COMPANY, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY VV'IBRA'IIIOR FOR SCREENS AN D OTHER APPARATUS Application led January 6, 1932. Serial No. 585,061.

This invention relates to unbalanced roller-l i vibrators for use in connection with screens and other apparatus, having reference `particularly to the type of mechanical vibrators wherein the centrifugal force set up in a gyrating or rotating mass is transmitted as a circular vibratory impulse toa frame or body to be actuated.

Heretofore in vibrators of the type referred to a revolving shaft carrying one o1 more unbalanced eccentrically located Weights were employed, which shaft was journaled in the frame or body to be vibrated. In the operation of a vibrator of this character centrifugal force acting upon the unbalanced rotating element results in a radial pull upon the shaft, which force rotates with the shaft and acts in thendirection from the center of gravity of the unbalanced element. Such radial pull is transmitted through the bearings by means of which the shaft is journaled to the body or frame to be vibrated, and therefore the practical etliciency of the apparatus, particularly under relatively heavy radial load and high speed conditions, is largely governed by the character and Ca.'- pacity of the bearings.

With the prior constructions if it were desired to transmit at, say, 2000 R'. P. M., a radial impulse of about 2000 pounds, divided between twobearings, ordinary commercial ball or roller bea-rings, or oil lubricated bushings, could be practically employed but if 1t were sought to increase materially the load or speed of the apparatus the cost of proper precision bearings would be prohibitive. Only relatively small ,ball' or roller bearings are suitable for high speed operation in that the peripheral velocity of balls or rollers is a limiting factor and becomes excessive for high speed R. P. M. if they be located on a large diameter circle. Moreover, small ball or roller bearings are necessarily limited to low radial loads at high speeds, unless there be employed a sufficiently large number of "such bearings to carry whatever radial 'load may be desired. This introduces notonly a mu tiplicity ofparts with the accompanying complications, but also diiiculties arising from aligning the bearings and providing for an equal distribution of the load throughout the series.

Plain bearings in prior vibrators are subject to the limitations corresponding closely to ball or roller bearings; for inst-ance, large diameter journals are incapable of very high speed operation. The rubbing velocity being the fundamental limitation, possible speeds power transmitting shaft and its bearings are freed from all radial load during the operation of the apparatus, thus permitting the use of inexpensive bearings.

Another object ofany invention is to provide a vibrator having provision whereby the amount of centrifugal impulse at any given speed of rotation 'can be readily varied to meet particular requirements, the adjustment being attainable while the apparatus is in operation. v

'Another object of my invention is to provide a vibrator so constructed that the cen- 'trifugal force set up' in the gyrating or roi tating mass can be transmitted as a circular or as a flattened circular vibratory impulse with or without in either case an interruption in the orbital path of vibration.

With these and other objects in view my in vention comprises a vibrator 'embodying features of novelty which in a preferred form will be hereinafter described; the scope of the eo l , ing of a' floating eccentric adjacent one end [Y tions, as on the lines 14--14 and of the shaft and therefor.-

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional perspective views of the eccentric 4and the coupling. member also the damping means therefor adjacent the opposite end of the.

shaft.

Figs. 7 to 12, inclusive, are sections through the tubular vibratory element and the gyratory mass element showing modifications of the contactual surfaces of the respective elements whereby the orbital path of the Vibratory element can be varied.

Fig. 13 isa longitudinal vertical section of a vibrator embodying a 'modified vform' of mounting for the eccentric.

Figs. 14 and 15 are transverse vertical sec- 15--15, respectively, of Fig. 13. c

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawings, 20 designates a tubular vibratory element comprising a housing of proper diyarneter and length for its intended purpose,

having end heads 21 and 22 operatively associated with the respective members 23 of a structure to be vibrated. In the present instance the head 21 is threaded into one end of 'the housing, and the head 22 is secured in place by crimping or swaging thereon the oposite end of the housing. Co-axial with the ousing isa sha t 24 which is journaled in bearings 25, and 26 inY the respective end heads. The shaft 24 extends through and beyond'the end head 22 and is adapted to be flexibly connected with and rotated at highspeed from a suitable source of power.

In the preferred construction shown in Fig.

1 the bearing 25 isof theball type while the bearing 26 is a plain bearing provision being had whereby the bearing 25 and the shaft can be slmultaneously adjusted longitudinally of the housing, as and for a purpose hereinafter ing radial slots 29 which are slidably fitted...

iioating eccentrics and on radial projections 30 on Jtheadjacent face of a flanged collar 31 fast on the reduced end of the shaft 241 Each member 27 is maintained yieldingly in sliding engagement'with the guide collar-by means of a compression spring 32 which is interposed between a collar 33 on the shaft and a dise 34 loosely mounted on the shaft against the opposing end of the annular member.

A roller 35'comprising, an annular member of any desired mass surrounds the shaft 24 and is slightly smaller indiameter than the interior of the tubular housing. This roller is rotatably mounted at its ends on the respective members 27, suitable antifric-u tion bearin S' 36, such as the ball type shown, being preerably interposed between the the internal wall of the roller.

Fixed on the respective ends of the roller 35, and constituting in eect integral parts thereof, are circumferential race members 37 adapted to co-act with the opposing inner surfaces of similar race members 38 which are fixed within the ends of the tubular housing 20. The outside diameter of each of the members 37 is smaller than the inner diameter of the co-acting member-38, and therefore by virtue of the slidable or floating mounting of the bodies 27 on the shaft 24, a measurable eccentricity is maintained between the mass roller 35 and the shaft during the rapid rotation of the latter, thus producing a gyration ofthe roller with consequent generation of centrifugal force thereon. This force finds no opposing forces to prevent the outward radial movement of the mass roller and the effective operative contact of its race members 37 with the opposing members 38 of the housing 20. Consequently a continual state of rolling ycontact is maintained between the mass roller and the housing; and the centrifugal force set up in the roller is transmitted as a circular or lixedto the shaft 24, which itself is concentric throughout the housing 20) no radial load other than the weight or gravity load of the shaft is exerted on the bearings 25 and 26.

.There being for the same reason no radial pull on the shaft, the shaft is subjected to torsional. stress only.

It will also be seen that the spring-pressed discs 34 acting against the opposing ends of the respective floating eccentrics perform the function of damping devices for the'rotating mass to prevent its chattering when the is reduced below the effective operatingspeed.

'It will also be seen that the members 37 and 38 are not only large diametrically as compared with the balls or rollers of the antifriction bearings in prior vibrators, but that the outside diameter of each of the members 37 is only slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the member, 38 with which it contacts. Consequently' the area of contact under elasticcompression between the co-acting contact members greatly exceeds that of the area of the contact in ball or'roller bearings of prior constructions, ythus providing for the efficient carrying of exceedingly heavy pressures between such members.

It will further be seen that the co-acting surfaces of the contact members of the mass roller 35 and housing 20 are just as capable of being manufactured with high precision as are the conventional race ways for ball or roller bearings. j

In accordance with an object of my inven-l tion the amount of centrifugal impulse of the mass roller 35 at any given speed of rotation of the shaft 24 can be adjusted to meet speciic requirements while the apparatus is in operation. To this end, the inner surfaces of the contact members 38 are preferably corments of the roller 35 and its contact members 37 variations of the ratio of the outside diameter of each of the members 37 to the 21 of the housing. An adjusting screw 40- yis threaded in the wall of the head 21 so as to bear centrally against the opposing'wall of the casing 39, and hence by properly ma' nipulatingthe screw 40 tli-e'casing and its bearing 25,'together ,with the shaft 24 and its appurtenances," can be adjusted to determine the endwise location of the mass roller 35 and the relative positions of the contact surfaces of the members 37 of the roller with f' This t requirementsof the screen or other structure associated therewith,\for example, if the internal contact surface of the raceu ring 38 of the housing be slightly elliptical, as repre sented in Fig. 7, the mass roller in its activegyratory travel in contact with such surface will impart an elliptical path to the housing.

So also, if,"'as represented in Fig. 8, the race ring 37 of the mass roller be slightly elliptical, an elliptical pathk will be imparted thereby to the housing during the gyratory travel of the roller.

If the' continuity of the internal circular contact surface ofthe race ring 38 of the housing be interrupted by a. depression, as indicated at 42 in Fig. 9, or by a raised portion, as lindicated at 43 in Fig. 10; or if the race ring 37 of the mass roller be interrupted by a raised portion as at 44 in Fig. l1, or by a depressed or iattened portion as at 45 in Fig. 12, the orbital path of the vibrating housing in each case will be influenced by the opposed impulse or impression during the rotation of the roller, and in consequence periodic jarring effects will be transmitted to the structure to which the vibrator is applied.

In the constructions illustrated .in Figs. 7,

v9 and 10, it is apparent that the interruptive portion of the race ring 38 lof any of the hous- -ings can be adjusted to any desired angular respondingly taperedl as shown, so that in ac- L cordance with different longitudinal adjusty osition in relation to the axis' of the shaft y partially turning the housing on its end heads and then securing it at the desired position of adjustment. t

in the modification shown in Figs. 13, 14 and 15 of the drawings, an anti-friction bearing 260, instead of a plain bearing, is provided for the driven end of the shaft, such anti-friction bearing being slidably mounted in a cavity in the adjacent head 22 of the housing, so as to be longitudinally movable with the shaft in accordance with any predeterico mined adjustment of the mass roller and its i.

rings 37. ln this construction the mounting `of the floating eccentrics on the shaft 24"is eected by means of diametrically disposed pins 300 which are fixed at their ends in the annular members 27 and are slidably fitted in suitable diametric holes drilled in the shaft.

4llt is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific constructions herein disclosed as the same may be varied within the principle of myI invention and the scope of the appended claims.

li claimn 1. A vibrator comprising a vibratory ele-l ment, a shaft,'an annular mass element surrounding said shaft and bodily movable byA generated centrifugal force into rolling contact with said vibratory element, an annular element also surrounding the shaft and affordingan internal bearing for said mass elel i ment, and a connection between said internal bearing element and the shaft whereby the bearing element is positively rotatable with the shaft yet movable in paths transversely of the axis of rotation of the shaft.

2. A -vibrator comprising a vibratory element, a shaft, a mass roller surroundin said shaft andbodily movable by generate centrifugal force into rolling contact with said vibratory element, spaced-apart annular elements also surroundlng the shaft and affording internal bearings forsaid roller, and con-7 nections between said internal bearing elements and the shaft whereby the bearing elements are ositivelyrotatable with the shaft yet movab e in paths transversely of the axis of rotation of the shaft.

3. A vibrator comprising a vibratory element having an internal contact surface, ro-

tatable power transmitting means, a floating eccentric comprising a body surrounding said transmitting means and slidably connected therewith for positive rotation by, and movement transversely of the transmitting means, and a mass element rotatably encircling said eccentric and transversely movable therewith, said mass element having a peripheral contact surface in operative position relative to the contact surface of the said vibratory element.

4. A vibrator comprising a vibratory element having aninternal contact surface, a shaft, spaced shaft-bearings carried by the said element, spaced-apart eccentrics comprising supporting bodles surrounding said shaft and slidably connected therewith for positive rotation by, and movement transversely of the shaft, and a mass roller rotatably encircling said bodies and transversely movable therewith, said roller vhaving peripheral contact surfaces in operative Jp osi, tion relative tothe respective contact surfaces of the said vibratory element.

5.- A vibrator comprising a vibratory element having an internal contact surface, a shaft, means including a slidable coupling between said body and shaft, a body surrounding tlie shaft whereby the body .is rotatable with, and movable transversely of the shaft, and a mass element rotatably encircling said` body and transversely movable i therewith, said mass element having a 'circumferential contact surface in operative position relative to the contact surface of the vibratory element.

6. A vibrator comprising a vibratory element having an internalcontact surface, a shaft, a body surrounding the shaft, means including a slidable coupling between said body and shaft whereby lthe body is rotatable with, and movable transversely of the shaft, and a mass element rotatably encircling said body and transversely movable therewith, said mass element having a circumferential contact surface in operative position relative to the contact surface of the vibratory element, and damping meansbetween said shaft and body.Y i

7. A vibrator comprising a vibratory element having an internal contact surface, a shaft, a mass roller surrounding the shaft and having a circumferential contact surface in operative position relative to the contact surface of the vibratoryA element, a body surrounding said shaft and rotatably supporting the roller, a coupling between one side of said body and the shaft including slidable interlocking means on said shaft and body, whereby the body is rotatable with', and movable transversely of the shaft, a pressure member, and a spring urgin said I the other sideof said ody.

8. A vibrator comprising a vibratory element having an internal contact surface, a

shaft, pins fixed to said body and slidably fitted in diametric holes in the shaft whereby member against shaft, lan annular body surrounding said mitting means, a floating eccentric comprising a body which encircles the said transmitting means and is slidably connected therewith for positive rotation by, and also movement' transversely of the shaft, and a mass element rotatably encircling said body and transversely movable therewith.

10. A vibrator comprising a vibratory tubular element having central shaft bearings,

a shaft journaled in said bearings,` a' mass roller surrounding the shaft and spaced therefrom, an eccentric rotatable by said shaft and movable in a path transversely-of the axis of rotation'of the shaft, and anti-friction bearv'ings bet/Ween saideccentric and the roller. 1"-1. A vibrator comprising a vibratory tubular element having an internal contact snrface, a shaft, a hollow mass roller surrounding said shaft and having a circumferential contact surface, and operative connections between said roller and shaft whereby the roller is bodily movable by generated cen'- trifugal force to position its contact surface in rolling contact with the contact surface of the vibratory element, one of the'contact Vsurfaces-having a path interrupt-ive portion with which the other contact surface co-acts. 12. A vibrator having a vibratory element face, a shaft,and an internal gyratory mass roller having a circumferential contact surface in co-'operative ,relation to the contact surface of the vibratory element, operative connection between said roller and the shaft whereby the roller is movable by generated centrifugal force to position its Contact surface in rolling contact with the internal contact surface of the vibratory element, and

including an internal inclined contact sur-- means for shifting said roller longitudinally` of its axis to vary the co-operative contactual relation of the opposing contact surfaces.v

13. A vibrator comprising a vibratory tubular element having central shaft bearings and having an internal Contact portion, a shaft journaled in said bearings, a mass element surrounding said shaft and spaced therefrom, said latter element having a circumferential contact portion in operative position relative to the contact portion of the tubular element, one of said contact portions being inclined in relation to the other, an element rotatable by said shaft and movable in a path transversely of the axis of rotation of the shaft, said eccentric affording an internal bearing for the mass element, and manually operative means for effecting relative longitudinal adjustment of said roller to vary the contactual relation of said contact portions.

14. A vibrator comprising a vibratory element having an internal contact portion, ro-

tatable power transmitting means, a floating eccentric comprising abody surrounding said transmitting means and slidably connected therewith for positive rotation by, and moveof the axis of rotation of the shaft, and eX- teriorly projecting adjusting means mounted in one end of the saidvibratory element in cooperative relation to the slidable shaft bearing whereby ksaid bearing, the shaft and its appurtenances, including the roller, can be longitudinally adjusted to vary the'co-operative c'ontactual relation of the said race members.

Signed at New York, in the county and State of New York this 4th day of January, A. D. 1932.

SAMUEL DAVIS ROBINS.

ment transversely of the transmitting means,

a mass element rotatably encircling said eccentric and transversely movable therewith, said mass. element having a peripheral contact portion in operative position relative to the Contact portion of the said vibratory element, one of said contact portions being inclined in relation to the other, and means at one end of the vibratory element for effecting relative longitudinal adjustment of said roller to vary the contactual relation of said contact portions.

l5. A vibrator comprising a vibratory element including a race member, a shaft, a mass roller surrounding said shaft and including a race member, said race members having relatively inclined co-acting surfaces, an element providing an internal bearing for said roller, a connection between said bearing element and the shaft whereby the bearing element is positively rotatable with the shaft yet is movable in paths transversely of the axis of rotation of the shaft, and means at one end of the vibratory element for longitudinally adjusting'said shaft and its appurtenances, including the roller, whereby co-operative contactual relation of the said race members can be varied.

16. A vibrator comprising a vibratory element including a race member, a shaft, a bearing for said shaft slidably mounted in the vibrator, a mass roller surrounding said shaft and including a race member, said race members having relatively inclined co-ac-ting surfaces, an element providing an internal bearing for said roller, connections between said bearing element and the shaft whereby said bearing element is positively rotatable with the shaft yet is movable in paths transversely 

